An Introduction To Camping Cheques

Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book for this review. I did not receive any payment and was not required to write a positive review.

Camping Cheque is a Europe-wide system that allows you to buy pre-paid vouchers for use on more than 600 campsites in 29 countries across Europe and North Africa. Each Camping Cheque costs €15 (pegged at £13.95 at the time of writing) and includes a one night stay for two people with one pet and 6A electrical hookup – so in many cases, the Camping Cheque rate is considerably cheaper than the campsite’s standard rate.

The only slight limitation of the scheme is that some campsites do not accept Camping Cheques in peak summer. This usually includes July and part or all of August. However, each campsite sets its own dates for accepting Camping Cheques and some do accept Camping Cheques throughout the summer. Camping Cheque users may also get additional special offers, such as ‘stay 6 days and get the 7th free’.

The fact that each campsite has considerable freedom to make its own rules means that anyone planning to use Camping Cheques will need a copy of the Camping Cheque Site Directory, which provides full details of all campsites participating in the Camping Cheque scheme. A new edition is published each year and the directory costs £6, which includes a paper map of Europe showing the location of each site.

Going Paper Free

Historically, Camping Cheques have been paper vouchers that you purchase through the post before going on holiday. These are still available, but there is now an alternative. Camping Cheque users have the option of either a Silver Card or Gold Card – a chip and PIN type plastic card – that they can load with Camping Cheques and use in payment at the campsites they visit.

A Silver Card can be purchased for £3.50, while the Gold Card carries a yearly subscription rate of £13.95, but offers additional benefits. These include longer validity for cheques (4 years instead of 2), a free copy of the Site Directory each year and special offers on some campsites.

Getting Started With Camping Cheques

If you like the sound of the Camping Cheque scheme and would like to learn more, visit www.campingcheque.co.uk. This website allows you to search for and view details of all the campsites in the scheme and you can of course purchase your Camping Cheques here, too – or by telephone, if you prefer. Camping Cheque users are also eligible for special rates on Norfolk Line ferries, so this might be an additional attraction, too.